‘Dear Sa-chan’ Netflix Series Review - Be Ready to be Annoyed

For anyone who's been in a healthy relationship, “Dear Sa-Chan” may easily frustrate you. And if you're single but possess enough common sense to know what’s best for you, this show might be equally exasperating. But why? Let’s unpack what makes this series so aggravating to watch.

“Dear Sa-Chan” follows the story of Kyosuke Katagiri, a young man who moves to Tokyo while in a five-year relationship with his high school sweetheart, Sachi. Sachi is portrayed as the epitome of loyalty and sweetness, promising to write to Kyosuke while they’re apart. Kyosuke, on the other hand, seems to disregard her letters carelessly. Soon after settling into his new life, he becomes infatuated with his married neighbor, Shino, and begins an affair with her. Throughout all this, Sachi remains blissfully unaware of her boyfriend’s betrayal, while Kyosuke grapples with guilt but lacks the moral fortitude to come clean.

The narrative is full of tension, but not the satisfying kind. Kyosuke’s indecisiveness and his failure to confess his infidelity are a constant source of frustration. Even more aggravating is Sachi's eventual decision. When she discovers the affair, her reaction isn’t just one of heartbreak but one that leaves you baffled by her choices.

Now, Sachi’s character is one of the key reasons the show can be so annoying. While it’s understandable that discovering infidelity can be emotionally devastating, the way she navigates her feelings and makes decisions is irritating, to say the least. You want her to confront the situation with strength and self-respect, but instead, she leaves you angry with how she handles things.

To be clear, the problem isn’t just that Sachi is a "good girl" caught in a bad situation. It’s the way her character arc seems to lack agency and foresight, leaving the viewer wishing for a more empowered resolution. Simultaneously, Kyosuke’s inability to take responsibility for his actions only deepens the frustration, as he stumbles through the series torn between guilt and desire without any meaningful character growth.

Dear Sa-Chan moves at a fast pace, but it’s ultimately an exercise in frustration. The show’s rapid progression doesn’t make up for its lack of substance, leaving viewers with a story that seems to glorify cheating and terrible decision-making. Instead of offering an insightful look at relationships, it serves up a misguided portrayal of immaturity and emotional recklessness. In short, it feels like the epitome of nonsense. At its core, Dear Sa-Chan revolves around a young woman, Sachi, who seems to be stuck in a one-sided relationship, trying desperately to please her oblivious boyfriend, Kyosuke. At one point you do feel like counseling Sachi and telling her to stop with this nonsense.

In the end, “Dear Sa-Chan” feels like an exploration of poor decisions made by emotionally immature people. Rather than eliciting sympathy, it leaves you irritated with the characters' inability to confront their problems head-on. If you’re hoping for a story about complicated relationships that offers depth or redemption, this show may just leave you rolling your eyes instead.

Final Score- [4/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Choudhuri
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times